THE PRESS BOX.

LSU rules 2 ineligible to play in Sugar Bowl

Wide receiver Blain Bech and linebacker Lionel Turner will not play for LSU in the Sugar Bowl because of poor grades.

The decision was announced by coach Nick Saban, whose No. 12 Tigers will play No. 7 Illinois in the Bowl Championship Series game on New Year's Day at the Superdome.

Bech was the holder on field goals and point-after attempts in all 12 games this year. Turner played in 11 games and finished with seven tackles, including a season high of three against Florida.

- Bobby Johnson was hired as Vanderbilt's head coach after coaching Furman for the last eight years, including a spot in this season's Division I-AA title game.

He signed a five-year contract and replaces Woody Widenhofer, who had resigned after five years with the Commodores.

Johnson inherits the worst football program in the Southeastern Conference. The Commodores have won only four SEC games in five years and finished their 19th consecutive losing season, going 2-9 and winless in league play.

Under Johnson, the Paladins ranked No. 1 in the Southern Conference for rushing defense and pass efficiency this season and second in total offense.

"I'm the seventh chancellor at Vanderbilt," chancellor Gordon Gee said Sunday. "Bobby Johnson is the 25th head football coach. That shows a lack of commitment to attract and retain. This is the end of that revolving door."

Johnson had a record of 60-36 the last eight seasons at Furman. The Paladins lost 13-6 to Montana on Friday night in the I-AA championship game.

"I would have liked to have done this sooner, but you just kept winning games," Turner said.

Vanderbilt opens at home Sept. 7 against Furman.

- Ed Salem, an All-American at Alabama in the late 1940s who played briefly for the Washington Redskins and with Montreal of the Canadian Football League, has died of complications from diabetes at 72.